In the RF field, and especially into the gigahertz ranges, it is extremely difficult to amplify signals sufficiently to achieve required power levels for transmission and the like. This is especially true when the circuitry is limited to semiconductor devices.
One method known in the art, to achieve relatively high power levels utilizing semiconductor devices, is to divide the signal into a plurality of paths, amplify the divided signal in each path in a semiconductor amplifier and recombine all of the amplified signals to provide a single signal having the desired power. The dividing/combining processes were generally performed in one of two ways in the prior art. In the first method the power is simply divided into two separate paths by a 2:1 divider, such as a Wilkinson network or the like. The two outputs are then each divided again into two outputs and the resulting four outputs are each divided into two outputs, etc., until a sufficient number of paths is obtained to provide the desired amplification of the signal. After each of the output signals is amplified a combiner network is provided, which network is the same as the divider but in a reverse order.
A second method of dividing a signal into a plurality of paths is to utilize a radial mode power divider having output ports over 360.degree.. In this structure the input signal is introduced at the axis of a circular cavity and a plurality (110 in some instances) of outputs are spaced around the circumference of the cavity. However, this structure is relatively difficult to construct and operate since the input/output signal must be introduced at the axis of the circle and, therefore, must be supplied to a 360.degree. radiator so as to be properly distributed in a 360.degree. radial mode in the cavity. The coupling between diametrically opposed output ports of the 360.degree. divider is always high, because any power reflected by (or input into) an output port is not distributed uniformly. Thus, the 360.degree. divider has relatively high losses and mutual coupling between ports.